The Good Stories

My husband drag races… he goes 100 miles an hour…. He literally burns rubber…. Yet, he comes home from a hobby day with fewer injuries than I do from and evening at the Studio….. 

Today’s count – two band aids...

And one of the fingers just will not stop bleeding…

Minor, but annoying and painful

Part II – the Good and the Bad

A while back, I published a post with some stories of the bad things that I have seen at art studios and stores… some rudeness, some theft.  I promised some good stories too and just have not gotten around to it.  There are many good stories indeed

The Studio at Rush Creek

Not a specific story, but an ongoing story of life….

The Studio at Rush Creek (The Studio) is a unique place.  I have been to glass studios, ceramic studios, etc.  I know there’s more places, but the overwhelming commonality is that they are each for ONE art/craft or maybe two.  The Studio has intermediate bits of everything!

I say intermediate because is the type of place where serious hobbyists like myself can try things out, but is still accommodating enough for lower levels and higher levels of artisans. 

I like to try just about everything.  In the past, this has meant that I:

• Find a place to take a class
• Buy a bunch of materials/tools for the class
• Maybe buy more stuff after the class
• Have copious amounts of materials on hand (have to buy sets/quantities, usually cannot just buy one piece)
• Wind up with large bills and large per item cost for something I may do a few times/maybe more

The Studio has the classes, provides all equipment, sells materials by the unit versus package AND allows you to come back anytime for “studio time.”  I can buy a square inch of silver to make a jewelry pieces, a single rod of glass for a project, fire one item in her kiln, and have access to thousands of dollars worth of tools for hobbies that I may do once/once a year/once a month. 

And, it is a welcoming place….

That is important….

I did studio time at one place – not naming – where I felt like I had to be an expert and know their rules/routines BEFORE going to learn and practice….. kind of an impossible circle.  Also, while there, I felt like I was looked down upon for not being an expert.

There’s no ONE focus for the classes offered/tools available.  That’s so good for someone like me who often lacks one focus….

Marbles in the Moon

Catchy title isn’t it?

So, what does it really mean?

Last Saturday, I went to Potek Glass – Open Torch time and made borosilicate glass paperweights and marbles.  None of them are particularly good, but I have a lot of fun with it.  After class, Chris and I and some friends went to our favorite Asian restaurant – the Great Moon, aka the “Moon.”  I had brought my small collection of booty from class to show Brandie.  I dumped them out on the table and instantly had a group of admirers!

Shinny things attract attention…

It really made me feel good. 

As I said, none of them are pieces of perfection – I am learning and having fun, but to have people admire them for color, basic resemblances to paperweights and marbles, etc., was so nice.

CSA Bartering

I have not finalized this one yet, but I will tell the story.

First, the negative that is negated by this….

I have spoken many times about the fact that I don’t/won’t sell my quilts because the general public does not understand the amount of work, degree of skill and price of materials that go into a single piece.

“You should charge less; you make quilts because you enjoy it”

“I can buy full bedding set at Wally world for $39.99, why should I pay hundreds for this?”

And so forth….

L

A baby quilt out of quilt shop fabrics, cotton batting, and cotton thread can be $60-100 for materials alone, and then there is labor.

Now, to the actual story.

The company at which I contract has a relationship with a large farm.  The other day, the farm owners (assuming that is who they were) had a booth setup and were organizing CSA shares.  (CSA = Community Share Agriculture, you pay one price, and each week for the growing season, you get a box/bundle of the current produce).  My co-worker was talking to them so I stood there.  One person asked me if I was interested and I told them that in the past years I had traded quilts to a local farmer for my produce.

“We’d gladly barter a share for a quilt”

I was floored… there was NO hesitation in their offer.  The shares are about $350.  They did not try to say two or three quilts… they did not ask what I felt a quilt was worth…  They recognized right away that there was craftsmanship involved.

I am going to contact them soon and arrange it.

Couch Surfers

Long background story short.  We belong to a “couch surfing” community – people who stay in each other’s homes when traveling and interact more than they would in a hotel.  We have had many people stay with us over the last year, and of those who leave us online comments, most mention the artwork in the house and call me talented.

These comments come from those 20-50, male and female, and from all walks of life.  While a large percentage of the population of the world appreciates art – not all people take that down to the level of what is on my walls, and every surface in my eclectic, individualized house. 

The award for considerate behavior melded with art appreciation goes to a recent house-guest – Rohan.

Rohan is a recently discharged Marine who is doing some traveling and then going to deploy again as guardsman.  He’s younger (mid/late 20s… I did not ask), mixed race and both different from ours and had some different views/tastes than us.  We got along with him fabulously.  We introduced him to Tater Tot hot dish and he tortured our cats with a laser pointer.

During the time he stayed with us (almost two weeks), he saw me go to the Studio, work on jewelry in the living room, lay out a quilt on the floor and certainly couldn’t miss all my glass work throughout the house.  He made nice noises about my things and showed some interest.

He left midday one day while Chris and I were both at work, and when I got home, there was an envelope on my keyboard.  We are used to the couch surfers leaving us pleasant little notes.

I opened it up expecting the same thing….

And found….

A gift certificate to my glass supply store.

Now, you must understand, this store is NOT like a Joann’s, Michaels, etc.  It is a specialty shop, off the beaten path and pretty unknown to those outside the world of glass.  Rohan had to have listened very carefully to me and made a special trip over there!  (Paper coupon, nothing from online).

That gift certificate is one of the most wonderful things I have ever gotten (from someone other than my hubby that is!).